A multicenter study on the prevalence of adults and children seeking orthodontic treatment at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of adults and children seeking orthodontic treatment at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and pediatric OSA (POSA) and its association with demographic variables.

Methods: One hundred-eleven adults and 105 children were consecutively recruited from three centers. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and ESS for Children and Adolescents were used for Risk stratifications for OSA and POSA.

Results: The prevalence of patients seeking orthodontic treatment at high risk of OSA/POSA was 27.8%, where 26.1% were adults, and 29.5% were children. High risk for OSA/POSA was not associated with gender, ethnicity, age, Body Mass Index, or neck circumference.

Conclusion: Approximately 26% of adults and 30% of children seeking orthodontic care were at high risk for OSA and POSA. Screening for OSA and POSA among adults and children seeking orthodontic treatment is imperative.